As expected, Munster have retained the same starting XV and an unchanged 23-man squad from last week’s bonus-point win over Ulster at Thomond Park for Friday’s must-win final match of the URC regular season against Benetton at a sold-out Virgin Media Park (kick-off 8pm, live on TG4 and Premier Sports).
This means, of course, there will be a suitable sense of occasion for the final appearance on Munster soil of the retiring Cork duo Peter O’Mahony and Stephen Archer, who are both named in the starting team.
In another landmark, Jean Kleyn will also make his 150th appearance for Munster in front of the 8,800 capacity crowd, while the ever-present Tom Farrell will start his 25th game of the season. The match will also mark the final appearance on a Munster ground of Conor Murray before his move abroad next season, as the multi-capped, multi-decorated provides the backline cover alongside Sean O’Brien in a reprise of a 6-2 bench split.
Munster go into the final weekend of the regular season occupying the eighth and last place for both the play-offs and next season’s Champions Cup, level with Benetton on 46 points but with the Italians ahead by dint of having won more matches.
Hence, a win of any kind will ensure Munster secure a place in the quarter-finals and in next season’s Champions Cup. However, a defeat will likely see Munster miss out, as ninth-placed Cardiff are also on 46 points but behind on points difference. They play the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday evening (kick-off 6pm Irish time) while Edinburgh, in 10th on 44 points, host Ulster on Friday (kick-off 7.35pm Irish time, live on Premier Sports).
Benetton come into this crunch game on the back of an impressive bonus point win by 33-7 over the champions Glasgow and also name an unchanged starting XV. They do make two changes among their replacements by recalling experienced prop Tiziano Pasquali and the Pumas outhalf Tomas Albornoz to replace Giosuè Zilocchi and Leonardo Marin on a bench also featuring the former All Blacks and Munster centre Malakai Fekitoa.
The long-serving duo of Andrew Warwick and Kieran Treadwell are in line for their final appearances in an Ulster jersey in Hive Stadium. Richie Murphy has made one change to the front row which started against Munster last weekend, with Tom O’Toole name at tighthead prop, while Treadwell’s recall means Cormac Izuchukwu moves to blindside flanker. The is one change in the backs, with South African winger Werner Kok replacing Robert Baloucoune.
Munster Rugby: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (C); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Seán O’Brien, Alex Kendellen.
Benetton: Rhyno Smith, Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Ignacio Brex, Paolo Odogwu, Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi; Thomas Gallo, Siua Maile, Simone Ferrari, Scott Scrafton, Federico Ruzza (C), Riccardo Favretto, Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone. Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Mirco Spagnolo, Tiziano Pasquali, Niccolò Cannone, Sebastian Negri, Nicolò Casilio, Tomas Albornoz, Malakai Fekitoa.
Edinburgh Rugby: Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Matt Currie, James Lang, Harry Paterson, Ross Thompson, Ali Price, Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae, Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner, Ben Muncaster, Hamish Watson, Magnus Bradbury (C). Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Boan Venter, Javan Sebastian, Glen Young, Jamie Ritchie, Charlie Shiel, Ben Healy, Mark Bennett.
Ulster: Michael Lowry, Werner Kok, Jude Postlethwaite, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak, Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson (C), Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, David McCann. Replacements: Tom Stewart, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson, Harry Sheridan, James McNabney, David Shanahan, Aidan Morgan, Stewart Moore.
